diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0051_auto_20210316_1950.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0051_auto_20210316_1950.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3caecbbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0051_auto_20210316_1950.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.7 on 2021-03-16 19:50
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0050_auto_20210313_0030"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveConstraint(
+            model_name="notification",
+            name="notification_type_valid",
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="notification",
+            name="related_report",
+            field=models.ForeignKey(
+                null=True,
+                on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE,
+                to="bookwyrm.Report",
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="notification",
+            name="notification_type",
+            field=models.CharField(
+                choices=[
+                    ("FAVORITE", "Favorite"),
+                    ("REPLY", "Reply"),
+                    ("MENTION", "Mention"),
+                    ("TAG", "Tag"),
+                    ("FOLLOW", "Follow"),
+                    ("FOLLOW_REQUEST", "Follow Request"),
+                    ("BOOST", "Boost"),
+                    ("IMPORT", "Import"),
+                    ("ADD", "Add"),
+                    ("REPORT", "Report"),
+                ],
+                max_length=255,
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddConstraint(
+            model_name="notification",
+            constraint=models.CheckConstraint(
+                check=models.Q(
+                    notification_type__in=[
+                        "FAVORITE",
+                        "REPLY",
+                        "MENTION",
+                        "TAG",
+                        "FOLLOW",
+                        "FOLLOW_REQUEST",
+                        "BOOST",
+                        "IMPORT",
+                        "ADD",
+                        "REPORT",
+                    ]
+                ),
+                name="notification_type_valid",
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/notification.py b/bookwyrm/models/notification.py
index 19018165..233d635b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/notification.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/notification.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
 
 NotificationType = models.TextChoices(
     "NotificationType",
-    "FAVORITE REPLY MENTION TAG FOLLOW FOLLOW_REQUEST BOOST IMPORT ADD",
+    "FAVORITE REPLY MENTION TAG FOLLOW FOLLOW_REQUEST BOOST IMPORT ADD REPORT",
 )
 
 
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class Notification(BookWyrmModel):
     related_list_item = models.ForeignKey(
         "ListItem", on_delete=models.CASCADE, null=True
     )
+    related_report = models.ForeignKey("Report", on_delete=models.CASCADE, null=True)
     read = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     notification_type = models.CharField(
         max_length=255, choices=NotificationType.choices
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ class Notification(BookWyrmModel):
             related_status=self.related_status,
             related_import=self.related_import,
             related_list_item=self.related_list_item,
+            related_report=self.related_report,
             notification_type=self.notification_type,
         ).exists():
             return
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/report.py b/bookwyrm/models/report.py
index 6a76d9fd..f9e8905b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/report.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/report.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """ flagged for moderation """
+from django.apps import apps
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import F, Q
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
@@ -15,6 +16,23 @@ class Report(BookWyrmModel):
     statuses = models.ManyToManyField("Status", blank=True)
     resolved = models.BooleanField(default=False)
 
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """ notify admins when a report is created """
+        super().save(*args, **kwargs)
+        user_model = apps.get_model("bookwyrm.User", require_ready=True)
+        # moderators and superusers should be notified
+        admins = user_model.objects.filter(
+            Q(user_permissions__name__in=["moderate_user", "moderate_post"])
+            | Q(is_superuser=True)
+        ).all()
+        notification_model = apps.get_model("bookwyrm.Notification", require_ready=True)
+        for admin in admins:
+            notification_model.objects.create(
+                user=admin,
+                related_report=self,
+                notification_type="REPORT",
+            )
+
     class Meta:
         """ don't let users report themselves """
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html b/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
index 3f0300bd..7c694d78 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
                 <span class="icon icon-list"></span>
                 {% elif notification.notification_type == 'ADD' %}
                 <span class="icon icon-plus"></span>
+                {% elif notification.notification_type == 'REPORT' %}
+                <span class="icon icon-warning"></span>
                 {% endif %}
             </div>
             <div class="column">
@@ -105,7 +107,10 @@
                                 {% endif %}
                             {% endif %}
                         {% elif notification.related_import %}
-                            {% blocktrans with related_id=notification.related_import.id %} your <a href="/import/{{ related_id }}">import</a> completed.{% endblocktrans %}
+                            {% blocktrans with related_id=notification.related_import.id %}Your <a href="/import/{{ related_id }}">import</a> completed.{% endblocktrans %}
+                        {% elif notification.related_report %}
+                            {% url 'settings-report' notification.related_report.id as path %}
+                            {% blocktrans with related_id=path %}A new <a href="{{ path }}">report</a> needs moderation.{% endblocktrans %}
                         {% endif %}
                     </p>
                 </div>